Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 250: Dragon heart (2)

'We can begin'

'Release me from the chain in my claws.'

'What!'

'No!' some of the group protested.

'Please Commander, he is trying to trick you.' Arial ignored them.

'Release the chain.' Arial ordered

Reluctantly they release the chain and all of them were ready to flee. But the dragon did not make any suspicious movement.

There is still the chain in his feet and just for precaution the Kobold even chains him around the tail.

'Then we will begin.' Mikael said

The dragon then took one of his fingers and pointed at his heart and then pierces it. Golden blood fell down, and from that, the earth around the fell liquid turns to pure gold.

Then he took something out, a light in golden glow, resembling an orb. The dragon then explains.

'Transplant it to the human child and it will take his heart form.'

Mikael nodded while his eyes look in amazement and he knows that the light is something powerful because Mikael know the feeling of magic rushing on his body when the light passes onto his hand.

This is something magical. Is it really alright to put it in a human body? He asked himself.

And it dawns on him that in probably since a very long time, he would be the one using this procedure once used by the First Generation.

With one hand he put it down onto a cloth and the light glowed brighter shining the cavern like a personal sun.

The dragon then collapsed.

Golden blood flow from his wound. When Arial attacked him earlier, his blood is red, but the blood that flowed from the wound on his heart is golden.

Mikael notices this.

'Maybe someday I will research a bit about dragons. They are still a lot of things that people don't understand about dragon' he thought to himself

The ground shakes as the dragon collapses

'Give the heart to the human fast.' The dragon muttered weakly

This is a risky procedure. First, Mikael remove any clothing from Arial bodies and Arial is half naked.

'Lie down' Mikael ordered as white cloth is prepared on the ground.

The group is looking scared. The dragon has collapsed but they know if somehow Arial is dead and the dragon once again rises they all will be dead.

They could not understand why their commander believes the dragon story.

Then Mikael give Arial a Faeries medicine, Sanasainic herb, to help dull the pain and to induce sleep and another herb to keep the patient breathing.

Mikael has spent a lot of time studying the properties of plants and flowers.

That is what he was doing when Velamina and Arial kept fighting the monsters and hunting for food.

Then Arial fall asleep because of the herbs and the group heart is beating faster, fearing that the dragon would make any movement. Mikael noticed this.

'Don't worry, he is just asleep.' Mikael then cleansed the area around the heart with Eternal Spring water.

Then he took a small knife from his bag. Mikael hope Arial internal energy will protect him he prays.

Then he makes a small incision down the center of the chest from just below Arial throat to just above the navel.

'What are you doing?' Velamina flipped in disbelief.

'Oh Gods.'

'What in Gods name-' the Kobold exclaimed. The Elves has already aim their arrows at Mikael.

'He killed the Commander.' The Orc said preparing to bludgeon Mikael to death with their oversized mace.

'Stop younglings' the dragon said.

'That demon is trying to save your leader life. It seems you have learned the Lost Art of First Generation' the dragon said, an impressed tone.

But Mikael doesn't have time to revel in such praises. He didn't even look back at the dragon.

He need to make sure nothing is wrong.

Then he took something of an Enochian made steel, and divided the chest in half and spread them apart and another gasp echoed in the cave.

They can look at Arial heart. A black heart with the veins pumping black poisons.

'What the-'  Velamina exclaimed.

Velamina could still see that Arial is breathing

The Orc on the back said

'Our commander has a talented healer by his side.'

'That Elven opens a human heart and the human is still alive.'

'Is it possible that a man who is cut apart can still live?'

Some said marveling at the mastery of what they believe a master healer.

Mikael rubbed Arial heart with some Eternal Spring water, and then Mikael cut the problematic vines and let the blood let out.

Then he stitches another artery on the heart and then he began with great difficulties to remove the heart.

After a grueling time, he managed to do it and suddenly Arial goes into a convulsion.

'HOLD HIM!' Mikael yelled and Velamina quickly hold Arial down.

'Quick' the dragon said.

Mikael took the dragon heart and put it around the excised area and suddenly the light spread and Mikael accidentally dropped the orb into the hole which used to be Arial heart.

'Oh, God' he said but then something miraculous happen.

The Orb began resembling a human heart but it glowed with such light and then suddenly it attaches itself to the cut veins and it was like Arial is having a golden heart.

'Remove the Enochian steel.' The dragon said and Mikael remove it.

Then slowly but surely, the wounds stich itself, more like burning itself, healing Arial, and quickly healing Arial body, that no scar even existed around the cut area.

No bandage would be needed thought Mikael. For a moment all the people in the cavern stood frozen.

Arial has stopped convulsing and then suddenly the dragon wings are healed again, his wound began healing at an unprecedented scale and his scale is reformed.

He moves his claws and uses his tail to whip the dwarves around his feet, and the mithril chain easily snapped.

'A chain is only as strong as it weakest ring' he said

'YOU!' Velamina said holding her sword against the dragon.

He floats majestically looking at the people that is just is his enemies a few moments ago but instead of breathing fire or attacking the group he waits with anticipation looking at Arial.

'You? Don't you want to attack us?' The Orc said.

'No, I did not want to do such thing. I want to make sure he is alright' Then slowly Arial open his eyes.

*************************************************************

It is a success.

Arial is given a calming tea while the dragon flies around the caverns no longer sick or wounded.

His recovery alarms the group but it doesn't seem like the dragon pose any threat anymore.

Arial will calm himself before the dragon will tell him the consequences of sharing dragon heart.

Then after a few hours' rest Arial summon the dragon, feeling more powerful by the minute.

Arial also notices he felt his body lighter and like something has been unleashed within him.

His sense is more acute and his internal energy flowed smoothly.

The sound of his heart beating and the energy coursing through his body with untapped potential is a new feeling for Arial.

The dragon then flies around Arial and landed itself a few feet from Arial, the winds resulted from his abrupt landing, make some of the groups had to shield themselves from the wind.

The troops are outside guarding while only Arial is listening

'HAHAHA' the dragon laugh.

'You seem fine human.'

'Yes I am Gaveror. Now tell me what you said before.'

'Ah, yes. Consequences.'

Gaveror tell Mikael that when Arial is sharing his heart there are some consequences. This is during Arial in a state of unconsciousness.

'First, it is this. We have shared the same heart. So I will tell you this story about me. I think it is only fair that I tell you a little bit about my story, now that we are sharing the same heart. I am sick myself. Though I think you already know. Oh, and when we share heart, your abilities become my abilities mine become yours'

And this shocked Arial

'You mean?'

'Your body heals itself up after battle thanks to your internal energy. Dragon live by magical energy. And since magical energy is low every year, I am dying little by little.'

'YOU TRICKED ME!' Arial roar and people who hears him roar shrinked a bit because it sounds eerily similar to a dragon roar.

'HAHAHA. Even now, you seem to adapt to your new heart. Though I did not lie to you about the heart swapping. It is the same way that the King of Dragon uses. The First Queen of the First Generation has an ability of a dragon.'

'I will kill you' Arial said sheathing his sword.

'I wouldn't advise it.'

'And why would I listen to you?'

'One more thing I might forget to tell you, is this. If I die, you die. If you die, I die.' And that fact shocked Arial.

'What?' he said, not quite believing his ears

'If anyone pierces my heart, I die and my heart in your body will also die. Why do you think there is a treaty between human and dragons? That is because the King of the First Generation could hardly hunt dragons when his wife could be killed if the King of Dragons dies. And consequently the dragons are forbidden to hunt humans for the same reason.'

Arial slumped his head.

So that's the reason.

'But isn't this good news for you?' The dragon said

'What!'

'I can't kill you. You can't kill me.' Then one question penetrated Arial mind

'Do you mean to say that the First Queen live for many millennium?'

'No' the dragon answer, and its eyes shows a trace of sorrow

'When her husband dies, the brave queen asks the dragon King to took her heart. By that time, the dragon heart has reached a maturity point so it could be removed from the Queen heart. She died a natural human death, seven years after his husband death.'

'When will I reach maturity?' The dragon smiles and answer

'fifty-nine years. Give or take' And Arial could swear he could see a little grin on the dragon mouth.

'Then if at that time, if you want to die a normal human death, come to me and I will take the heart.' Arial nodded and sighed.

All in all, he did not lose anything. The lifespan of a dragon is also very long. Thinking about it, he didn't need to trouble himself with the dragon.

'Fine' Arial said.

Now he has accomplished what he came for so he is about to leave. The dragon then said in whispers

'One day you will see the benefit of having a dragon heart' Arial and the dragon made a deal that day.

If one or the other has a problem regarding their life, they would call each other and help each other.

Then Arial goes outside to rejoin his troops and declare that everything is settled.

They lost many troops that day, some valuable companion but his troops knows that without Arial charging the dragon for revenge is a folly mistake.

So, they have to accept Arial decision to let the dragon go.

The Kobold retreated because Arial promises them that the dragon will not disturb them if the Kobold does not hunt around the vicinity of the Land of dragons.

From that day on, Arial and the dragon are bonded for better or for worse.